


Nota Bene

by coffeerepublic



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mild Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-24
Updated: 2014-01-24
Packaged: 2018-01-09 19:54:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1150130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeerepublic/pseuds/coffeerepublic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You did not leave those notes for him all the time, mind you – you did it just rarely enough for it to seem special every time.</p>
<p>[Joey x Reader]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nota Bene

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, it is fluff. At least as fluffy as my writing gets, I suppose. :)
> 
> I hope you enjoy the read!

When Joey got home quite late one day – stupid work, stupid boss, keeping him late for the third time this week – he was just about ready to do nothing else except fall into bed and sleep until things did not seem so all-around bad and annoying anymore.

Recently, nothing ever seemed to work in his favor. He had never been the luckiest person when it came to anything other than Duel Monsters, but at the moment, it seemed like all aspects of his life had downright conspired against him.

He was just short of yelling out his anger at the keys that did not want to cooperate either when he saw the small envelope attached to his apartment door. And immediately, a little of the weight seemed to have been lifted off his shoulders.

_Hey Joey,_

_I noticed you haven’t been home much lately._  
I hope everything’s okay!  
If it isn’t or you just need to rant to someone,  
you know where to knock! 

The note was signed with ‘love’ and your name. It even had a little heart drawn next to it. Normally, he would have found that kitschy, but when you did it, it did not seem so bad to him at all. You were the kind of person who made it seem natural to draw hearts on notes you taped to your neighbor’s door. It fit you.

You did not leave those notes for him all the time, mind you – you did it just rarely enough for it to seem special every time. And every time, they brightened his day just the tiniest bit.

He took the envelope off his door, put the note back in and finally stepped into his apartment.

To be quite honest, he really did feel like taking up the offer you had proposed on the note and go over to your place right away. But he felt that that would give away just how much of a positive effect you had on him, and he did not want you to know. He would only be embarrassing himself.

The first time he had met you had been the day you had moved into the apartment across the hall from his own. He had been hearing noises outside for a while and had decided to see what was going on and, if it were to prove necessary, complain about it.

What he had stumbled upon was no one other than you, a girl that looked roughly around his age, trying to fit a box that did not want to cooperate through the door of your apartment. You had looked exasperated and annoyed and at first he had not been sure whether to approach you at all.

“Do you need help?” he had asked, hoping you were not going to take your apparent frustration out on him. It had turned out to be the right decision – as soon as you had looked at him, all negativity had disappeared from your expression. Your smile had been warm and welcoming from the start.

“Sorry about the noise. And that would be amazing!” You had then set down the box and walked over to him, offering both your hand and your name to him. Your personality had made him like you off the spot.

He had helped you get everything inside, which had taken a while, and you had thanked him by offering pizza and beer, and although he could have left right away, he had ended up staying for another two hours because your company had turned out to be quite pleasant.

And then it had happened again and again, and then you had begun to leave cute, thoughtful notes and now he was stuck like this. With weird feelings for the weird girl next door that he could not begin to imagine you would ever reciprocate.

Meanwhile, you had heard him close his door and knew he had come home and found your note. Not that you were listening for it, to be fair – it was a coincidence. But now, you knew and you were pondering what was going on with him.

You had been assuming that he would come over right away, like he had done a couple times in the past. You often got the notion that he did not really like spending time at his own apartment by himself.

Eventually, you decided to simply be bold and go over and ask him what had been going on with him recently. It was not a tough decision for you. You were the type of person to handle things head on.

When he opened the door and was met with you and a delivery pizza carton in your hands, he at least didn’t seem unpleasantly surprised.

You lifted the pizza carton in presentation.

“I come in peace and I bring pizza,” you said in a quiet, kind voice, a small smile playing on your lips.

He seemed exhausted, but his eyes had a soft look in them as he stepped to the side to let you in.

His apartment had the same basic cut as your own, which didn’t offer much space. For lack of a table, you set the carton down on the floor next to the couch before sitting down and patting the spot next to you.

“In case my note from before didn’t make it clear: I’ve been worrying about you, Joey.” Your voice was not reproachful in the least. You were simply stating the truth, not trying to manipulate him emotionally.

He let himself fall onto the couch next to you, close, but not quite touching you.

“You really don’t need to. Everything’s just being a drag at the moment.” He let his head fall back, his eyes closed. He really did seem incredibly tired.

You offered him a slice of pizza, but he declined. You shrugged, deciding that the pizza would make an amazing breakfast then.

“Is it just your job or is anything else going on? You don’t need to tell me if you don’t want to, by the way. I’m just offering my ear.”

“Nah, nothing special or anything. It’s just… get up, go to work, go home, fall asleep, all the time. I know it’s gonna improve with time, there’s just a lot of work right now, but it’s still awful.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Joey. I really hope it gets better soon.”

He shrugged, and then neither of you said anything anymore. You wanted desperately to do anything for him, to make him feel better, but you did not know what.

So you simply reached out and pulled him into an embrace, leaning back until you were lying down on your back with him on top of you, still hugging him. He was heavy, but it was not an unpleasant sensation. You decided that you liked the way his weight felt on top of your body.

Still, neither of you had spoken. His eyes were still closed as you took in the scent of his hair. It felt like each time you breathed him in, your heart became a little warmer.

You knew that he did not know, but you had been harboring a feeling other than friendship for him for a while now. Maybe he would have had the chance to realize it if you had ever told him that you never drew hearts on any kind of letter or note that was not meant for him.

As if he had been able to hear your thoughts, he opened his eyes right then. They locked with your own and you knew you would never find a better moment.

“I want us to be more than friends.” Surprise flickered in his gaze as soon as you had spoken.

The next moment seemed to last an eternity as your insides clenched. Your heart beat faster, your breath halting in your throat.

And then the distance between the two of you was no more as you were kissing each other hungrily, sloppily, not used to the technique of the other yet.

It felt purely amazing.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is much appreciated. ♥


End file.
